COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Ohio State University’s new president and supporters of the school’s storied marching band are clashing over the unexpected firing of a band director with deep roots in the organization.
President Michael Drake dismissed Jonathan Waters on July 24 after a two-month investigation determined he knew about, but failed to stop, a “sexualized” culture of pranks, tricks and rituals that included students marching partially clad, feigning sex acts on buses and giving each other sometimes sexually explicit nicknames.
Waters has said he was trying to address problems with the band’s culture.
The band’s alumni association questions findings against Waters, who helped revolutionize college halftime shows. They’re seeking his reinstatement using concert flyovers, help from iconic band figures and a legal defense fund.